50. Duty of Care with Rebecca Maudling

Embodying change: Transforming power, culture and well-being in aid organisations

Ever wonder how aid workers can stay safe in some of the world’s most dangerous environments?

Rebecca Maudling, is on a mission to make sure humanitarian staff not only survive but feel confident and equipped to do their work safely — even in the toughest conditions. From co-founding an organization that helps NGOs work more safely, to reshaping how we think about mental health in crisis zones, Rebecca's insights on duty of care are hard earned. Stay tuned to the end to hear her big news about an exciting event coming up.

Today’s Guest

Rebecca is Co-Founder & Director of International Location Safety (ILS). She co-founded the organization, growing it from a start-up to its current position as a leading provider of security risk management services within the humanitarian aid and development sector. ILS supports organizations globally to meet their Duty of Care obligations and enable their staff to work in challenging situations around the world. As the business has grown, she has built up a fantastic team and so although now less involved in the day-to-day running of the business, she retains strategic oversight and a passion for supporting organizations to protect and care for their staff.

Key Topics Discussed:

• Embodying Change: Courage to challenge the status quo and live in alignment with personal values

• The ILS Origin Story: How Rebecca and her co-founder started ILS to provide safety and security training for humanitarian organizations

• The Core Services of ILS: Hostile Environment Awareness Training (HEAT), which is simulation-based safety, security and first aid training for staff working in complex environments, and Duty of Care Benchmarking, which assesses organizational practices around to ensuring the safety, security and well-being of staff in high-risk environments

• Psychological Well-being: How ILS integrates psychological safety into their training and organizational support

• Sector Trends: Growing awareness of mental health and well-being in the humanitarian sector

• AidEx 2024: Highlights of the upcoming Duty of Care Pavilion, including sessions on safeguarding, AI, crisis management, and LGBTQ+ inclusion in duty of care practices

Key Takeaway:
Rebecca emphasizes the importance of connection—both to oneself and to others—in sustaining well-being, especially in high-pressure environments like humanitarian work.

Connect with ILS:

• Website: https://www.locationsafety.com/

• ILS Duty of Care conference: https://www.locationsafety.com/aidex-2024

• AidEx website: https://www.aid-expo.com/whats-on/ils-duty-of-care-pavilion-and-conference

• ILS LinkedIn page: https://www.linkedin.com/company/international-location-safety/

• Rebecca’s personal LinkedIn page: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rebecca-maudling/

Upcoming Events:

• AidEx 2024 Duty of Care Pavilion: Join Rebecca and her team in Geneva on October 23-24 for key discussions on aid worker safety and well-being. https://www.aid-expo.com/whats-on/ils-duty-of-care-pavilion-and-conference
• System Changer Sleepover (Oct 25-27): A follow-up event for women in the humanitarian sector to discuss workforce well-being and systemic change. Contact [e-mail] for more details.

Quotes

"Embodying change requires courage—courage to challenge the status quo and live in alignment with your values, even when it's difficult." – Rebecca Maudling

"We put psychological well-being at the heart of what we do. If you're not in a good mental place, you're not going to make good decisions under stress." – Rebecca Maudling

"The conversations around well-being in the humanitarian sector are happening more than ever. But there's still a long way to go." – Rebecca Maudling

"For us, it’s not just about teaching people how to survive hostile environments—it’s about helping them feel confident and empowered to do their work safely." – Rebecca Maudling

"When it comes to duty of care, it's not enough to have policies on paper. It’s about putting them into practice and making sure they actually work on the ground." – Rebecca Maudling

"Connection—to yourself and to others—is vital. You need to know what you need to sustain yourself and have a support network in place, especially when times get tough." – Rebecca Maudling

"We're seeing more conversations about mental health being just as important as physical health. That’s a positive shift, but there’s still so much more we can do." – Rebecca Maudling

"The humanitarian sector is facing unprecedented risks, and it’s never been more important to...